Inkjet technology has expanded its application to high-speed, commercial and industrial printing, in addition to home and office usage, because of its ability to produce economical, high quality, multi-colored prints. This technology is a non-impact printing method in which an electronic signal controls and directs droplets or a stream of ink that can be deposited on a wide variety of media substrates. These printable media or recording material can be cut sized sheets or commercial large format media such as banners and wallpapers. Current inkjet printing technology involves forcing the ink drops through small nozzles by thermal ejection, piezoelectric pressure or oscillation, onto the surface of such media. Within said printing method, the media substrate plays a key role in the overall image quality and permanence of the printed images.
Nowadays, prints and printed articles with specific characteristics and appearances, such as, for examples, metallic appearances and/or reflectivity, are often desired. Accordingly, investigations continue into developing media and/or printing methods that can be effectively used with such printing techniques, which impart good image quality and which allow the production of specific appearances.